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CHAMBER, THE
Young law associate (Chris O'Donnell) struggles to save a white supremacist convict (Gene Hackman) from the Mississippi gas chamber for the 1967 bombing murders of two small children. Not only does the attorney have to gain clemency for the unrepentant racist, he also has to confront the children's true killer and his family's dark secret -- the convict also happens to be his estranged grandfather. From the John Grisham novel.
Director: James Foley. Stars: Gene Hackman, Chris O'Donnell, Faye Dunaway. CC, (MPAA rating: R, 113 min.), Thriller, 1996, Box office gross: $14.259 million, (Universal 82925), No SRP, Priced for rental, Available: 3/25
3 stars go
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COURAGE UNDER FIRE
Denzel Washington plays an armored tank commander who, at the height of the 1971 Gulf War, mistakenly fires on one of his own tanks, killing several of his men. Forced to "push papers" in Washington, he's given the task of investigating the events surrounding the death of a Medevac pilot (Meg Ryan) up for a Medal of Honor for bravery during the war. In an extension of his own guilt, he uncovers questions about her actions that no one wants to answer. Good performances in a scattershot text.
Director: Edward Zwick. Stars: Denzel Washington, Meg Ryan. CC, (MPAA rating: R, 115 min.), Action drama, 1996, Box office gross: $59.024 million, (FoxVideo 4132), No SRP, Priced for rental, Available: 3/4
3 stars go
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FIRST WIVES CLUB, THE
First Wives photo Bette Midler, Diane Keaton and Goldie Hawn star as middle-aged women whose lives have hit dead-ends -- they've devoted themselves to their husbands in one way or another and now find they're being overturned for younger women. It's time to get even with their ex-husbands -- and they do, using their wits, their bankbooks and a little old-fashioned blackmail. This box office smash taped into an urge for sweet revenge, but the end product never quite lives up to its promise.
Director: Hugh Wilson. Stars: Bette Midler, Diane Keaton, Goldie Hawn, Maggie Smith, Dan Hedaya, Bronson Pinchot. CC, (MPAA rating: PG, 104 min.), Comedy, 1996, Box office gross: $105.204 million, (Paramount 326123), No SRP, Priced for rental, Available: 3/18
4 stars go
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FLIRTING WITH DISASTER
Wild comedy about a young man (Ben Stiller) who goes on a crazy- quilt cross-country search for his birth parents, lead by a sexy counselor (Tea Leoni) and accompanied by his wife (Patricia Arquette) and child. Like its protagonists, the film kind of wanders without knowing where it really wants to go. Still, it's enjoyable viewing. Great performances by Alan Alda and Lily Tomlin in the film's finale.
Director: David O. Russell. Stars: Ben Stiller, Patricia Arquette, Tea Leoni, Mary Tyler Moore, Lily Tomlin, Alan Alda, George Segal. CC, (MPAA rating: R, 92 min.), Comedy, 1996, Box office gross: $14.702 million, (Miramax 8759), No SRP, Priced for rental, Available: 3/25
3 stars go
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FOXFIRE
Four Portland, Oregon high school girls are brought together by a mysterious outsider (Angelina Jolie) to discover their strengths as young women, along the way having fun, demonizing parents, and fighting off (literally) a sexually abusive teacher and other bullies. Based on the Joyce Carol Oates' novel and directed by Annette Haywood-Carter. Languished at the box office only because the distributor didn't know what to do with it; worth a second look for its free-wheeling sensibilities. MPAA rating: R; priced for rental.
Director: Annette Haywood-Carter. Stars: Angelina Jolie, Jenny Lewis, Sarah Rosenberg, Hedy Burress. CC, (MPAA rating: R, 102 min.), Drama, 1996, Box Office gross: $.258 million, (Columbia TriStar 80993), No SRP, Priced for rental, Available 3/11
3 stars go
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GLIMMER MAN, THE
A New York detective and ex-secret government operative (Steven Seagal) is called in to help a local homicide detective (Keenan Ivory Wayans) when a serial killer, whose murders all have religious themes, plunges Los Angeles into terror. Seagal plays his usual renaissance-man, wise-cracking martial arts expert while Wayans plays a hard-nose street cop with a heart. As always, the effects and stunts are spectacular. Typical buddy-cop fare.
Director: John Gray. Stars: Steven Seagal, Keenan Ivory Wayans. CC, (MPAA rating: R, 92 min.), Action, 1997, Box office gross: $20.301 million, (Warner 14479), No SRP, Priced for rental, Available: 3/11
3 stars go
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HIGH SCHOOL HIGH
When an idealistic high school teacher (Jon Lovitz) leaves the safety of a private academy for the tough streets of an inner city school so mean it has its own graveyard, you know you're being set up for an impossibly uplifting fable: that gangsters can be turned into scholars. All the right ingredients are here for Lovitz to stir into comedy: the tough but smart kids, the beautiful school-official love interest (Tia Carrere) and the oh- so-easy to rankle principal (Louise Fletcher). So why are we still hungry?
Director: Hart Bochner. Stars: Jon Lovitz, Tia Carrere, Louise Fletcher, Mekhi Phifer. CC, (MPAA rating: PG-13, 86 min.), Comedy, 1997, Box office gross: $20.951 million, (Columbia TriStar 82483), No SRP, Priced for rental, Available: 3/25
2 stars go
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Hunchback photo HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME, THE
After the gigantic merchandising successes of their last four animated outings ("Beauty and the Beast," "The Lion King," "The Little Mermaid," "Aladdin" and "Pocahontas") the intrepid folks at Disney decided to take on stiffer material: Victor Hugo's classic "Notre Dame De Paris." Leave it to those Burbank wizards to make Quasimodo a loveable hero, turn horrendous gargoyles into animated Marx Brothers and transform the gypsy Esmeralda into the sexiest toon this side of "Jessica Rabbit." Voices by Demi Moore, Kevin Kline, Tom Hulce and Jason Alexander.
Director: Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise. Voices: Demi Moore, Kevin Kline, Tom Hulce and Jason Alexander. CC, (MPAA rating: G, 91 min.), Animated, 1996, Box office gross: $100.137 million, (Walt Disney 7955), $26.99 SRP, Available: 3/4
2 stars go
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LONG KISS GOODNIGHT, THE
Geena Davis plays a seemingly mild-mannered suburban school teacher suffering from amnesia whose former life as a lethal CIA assassin -- with the great name of Charly Baltimore -- suddenly catches up to her with a vengeance. A dead-beat private detective (Samuel L. Jackson) comes to her aid, and the pair not only uncover her past, they get involved in a conspiracy led by rogue elements of the U.S. intelligence agency. There's great action here -- and the always lovely and watchable Davis.
Director: Renny Harlin. Stars: Geena Davis, Samuel L. Jackson. CC, (MPAA rating: R, 120 min.), Action, 1996, Box office gross: $32.720 million, (New Line 4446), No SRP, Priced for rental Available: 3/18
3 stars go
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MAXIMUM RISK
Maximum Risk photo There's a certain guilty pleasure in watching Jean-Claude Van Damme films. He's not much of a thespian, but who cares: he's so cuddly strong and honest that you just can't get enough of his off-kilter heroism. And you just know he'll wipe out the bad guys with his integrity intact. This particular action-adventure flick has Jean-Claude as a French cop who travels to New York City to solve the murder of the twin brother he never knew he had. Love interest is supplied by Natasha Henstridge.
Director: Ringo Lam. Stars: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Natasha Henstridge. CC, (MPAA rating: R, 100 min.), Action, 1996, Box office gross: $14.134 million, (Columbia TriStar 27413), No SRP, Priced for rental, Available: 3/11
3 stars go
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SPACE JAM
Live action/animated adventure about nasty alien toons who have been dispatched to Earth by their ruthless boss (voice of Danny DeVito) to kidnap and export the Looney Tunes characters to a boring planet to save a failing amusement park (Moron Mountain). Bugs Bunny tries to foil the plot by challenging the aliens to a winner-take-all basketball game, capturing Michael Jordan as the Looney's secret weapon. Mostly a merchandising vehicle for the toons and Jordan.
Director: Joe Pytka. Stars: Michael Jordan, Bugs Bunny. CC, (MPAA rating: PG, 88 min.), Comedy, 1996, Box office gross: $85.000 million, (Warner Bros. 16400), $22.96 SRP, Available: 3/11
2 stars go
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Supercop photo SUPERCOP
One of the best Jackie Chan vehicles to date, this is Part 3 of the Jackie Chan "Police Story" series (Part 4 is the current theatrical release "First Strike"). Here he plays a detective called upon to take on an undercover mission to put a high-powered drug lord out of business in the Pacific Rim. Incredible stunts by Chan and partner Michelle Khan. The film, originally released in 1992, was grabbed for distribution by Miramax to capitalize on the success of Chan's 1996 "Rumble in the Bronx." Must see for action fans.
Director: Stanley Tong. Stars: Jackie Chan, Michelle Khan. CC, (MPAA rating: R, 91 min.), Action, 1996, Box office gross: $16.249 million, (Miramax 9678), No SRP, Priced for rental Available: 3/18
3 stars go
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THAT THING YOU DO!
A delightfully playful and enjoyable take on the 1960s, directed with a gentle hand by Tom Hanks. It's 1964 and the world is fresh and new -- and ripe for the rise to fame of four young rock 'n' rollers molded along the lines of the Beatles. The Wonders, as they eventually come to be known, start out as innocents but get a quick lesson in the ways of the world as they move from Eire, Pennsylvania to Hollywood. Outstanding performances by newcomers Tom Everett Scott and Jonathan Schaech; Liv Tyler scores as the love interest.
Director: Tom Hanks. Stars: Tom Everett Scott, Liv Tyler, Jonathan Schaech, Steve Zahn, Ethan Embry, Tom Hanks. CC, (MPAA rating: PG, 105 min.), Music, 1996, Box office gross: $25.458 million, (FoxVideo 4141), No SRP, Priced for rental Available: 3/4
3 stars go
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February 5, 1997